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Luceranity
Luceranity is the religion centered around the worship of God. It is the largest mortal religion on Mu, and also the most powerful, as the Eternal Empire's state religion is Luceranity, and the Federal Republic of Amadea was founded on Lucerian principles, and has a very large Lucerian population. Its adherents, known as Lucerians or the Children of God, believe that God is the Supreme Creator of Asteros, and that all mortal life contains souls that descended from the Body of Eden. The beliefs of Luceranity is chronicled in the ancient holy text the Lumenicon. History Luceranity was formed shortly before 0 AE, when Lux Aeterna, or the Light of God, was brought down by Melchizedek, ending the Cimmerian Age. Afterward, the Eternal Empire was established and Melchizedek was made the first Holy Emperor. He ruled for many years until he was taken up by angels. Beliefs Lucerians hold many important beliefs to the religion, and these beliefs have shaped the mortal plane vastly. God In Luceranity, God is the supreme and only creator of all things. He created Asteros originally in the form of a singular entity known as Eden. This being was the creation, and was in the glorious presence of its creator, God. However, sometime shortly after its creation, Eden committed the first sin, and fell from grace, causing Asteros to take the shape it is in presently. God is referred to by many different names and epithets throughout the Lumenicon ''and other Lucerian doctrines, including: *Adonai *Almighty *Alpha and Omega *Creator *Ein Sof *Elohim *Elyon *Eternal One *Father *I Am *Lord Fall from Grace and the Original Sin One of the most fundamental aspects of Luceranity is the fall from grace of the Body of Eden. Eden committed the original sin, which caused its macrocosmic body to dissolute. This fall from grace created the multiplanar makeup of Asteros through a complex series of celestial events known as cosmogenesis. The mortal souls were formed by the broken, separate aspects of the Body of Eden, and were stored in a place known as the Chamber of Guf. After the formation of the mortal plane, souls descended from Guf and took on forms of flesh. Lucerians believe that mortal life on Mu is a form of punishment unto the Body of Eden for its sin, as well as a way to purify and atone the mortal soul. After the mortal dies, their soul begins restitution, and joins with the new macrocosm being formed beyond Guf. Cosmogenesis The Lumenicon'' describes Asteros as being Creation, and within it are a hierarchy of planes and realms that house different aspects of the fallen Body of Eden. At the highest vicinity of Asteros is the Horizon of Eternity, an impenetrable doorway to God. It is guarded by the Four Seraphim, Michael, Gabriel, Raphiel, and Uriel. The Light of God shines directly out from the Horizon of Eternity, shining down on all of Creation. Under the Horizon is Keter, which acts as a gateway into the Horizon. Archangels occupy this realm, and very little is known about it, as it is not referenced much in the Lumenicon. What is known is that it is a place that could instantly obliterate any impurity or sin. The Body of Enoch, formerly the Body of Eden, is located directly under Keter, and is the macrocosm body from which all individuated life originates. This is the beginning of Creation, while also simultaneously its end. It is where all souls descended from and where all souls will return at the End Times, when absolution has been concluded. The Astral Sea is an abstract "fluid" space that surrounds all other planes within Asteros, and is frequently likened to amniotic fluid that surrounds an unborn baby while in the womb. Here many things occur, such as the natural energy of Creation being channeled throughout the planes. Dreams also take shape in the Astral Sea. The Chamber of Guf rests at the "feet" of the macrocosm, and is the place in which all unborn souls reside. When a mortal life is first conceived on Mu, a soul descends down to enter the womb. In rare occasions, the soul becomes infused with a surge of magic traveling through the Astral Sea, which creates the infused origin phenomenon. Purgatory resides between Mu and Guf, and is a secondary plane of purification for the souls that require further atonement for any number of reasons. Stubborn souls and other spiritual beings that came to being in the Astral Sea have made their home in Purgatory. Ancient souls, which now refer to themselves as spirits, have consolidated power and use this power to influence the mortal plane for any number of reasons, usually for further consolidation of power. Mu, or the mortal plane, is the home to mortals and the purification grounds for each and every mortal soul. It is through a mortal life that each impure part of the Body of Eden can atone for its sins and seek absolution. Any mortal that attempts to bypass this process through suicide is reborn in a new body later on, and their progress toward restitution is reset. When the last mortal soul leaves the Chamber of Guf and fulfills its suffering, then the End Times will begin. Hell is an aberration compared to the other planes, which all contribute to the cycle of Creation. This plane was born out of the original sin, when a fracture formed in Asteros at its very bottom. This fracture became known as the Wellspring of Sin, which then created the progenitors of sin, such as Leviathan and Behemoth. These sin incarnate bred among themselves and spawned the progeny of sin, which include demons and any natives to Hell. The plane of Hell, itself, quickly manifested its seven circles while the progeny of sin were in their infancy. Eventually, however, the fiends cast their progenitors down into the wellspring, which had now become known as the Abyss. The Void is an enigmatic and mostly untouched part of the cosmogenesis view of the universe, as it deals with what exists outside of Asteros. What is known is that malevolent beings known as atropals exist in its infinite oblivion, and a very powerful one known as the Demiurge is an enemy of the Lord. The Demiurge is described as actively attempting to interfere in the lemniscatus cycle and a force of discord and corruption. Lemniscatus Another important concept in Luceranity is the lemniscatus, which is also the symbol of the religion. The lemniscatus is a vertical infinity symbol, which represents the cycle of Creation -- beginning when the Body of Eden came into being, and ending at the completion of the Body of Enoch at the End Times. The cosmogenesis of Asteros is also formatted within the scheme of the lemniscatus, with Keter and the macrocosm being the highest, Mu being medulla (the center), and Hell being the lowest. Lux Aeterna Lux Aeterna, meaning Light of God or literally Eternal Light, is the shining glory of God and his perfection. It is believed by Lucerians that Lux Aeterna shines throughout all of Asteros, except on Hell, as the physical nature of Mu eclipses the light from reaching Hell. Asteros is also described as all that the Light of God washes over, and that where the light ends the Void begins. Lux Aeterna is a highly significant aspect of Luceranity, as it played an active role in its creation. Around 1000 BE, Mu had become a wicked place, and thus God punished the mortal plane by receding the holy light that touched upon its surface. This ushered in a millennium of sin and anguish known as the Cimmerian Age. At the end of the Cimmerian Age, a righteous man known only as Melchizedek prayed to God to bring back his light. The Lord answered his prayers, and Lux Aeterna shined down, ending the thousand years of depravity. Right after this, Melchizedek founded Luceranity and helped established the Eternal Empire, and took reign as the first Holy Emperor. Lux Aeterna, apart from being divine light that shines from the Horizon of Eternity, is also the wellspring from which evangelists and those that call upon the divine power of the Four Seraphim receive their supernatural abilities. Due to Mu's Eclipse of Hell, however, magic that stems from Lux Aeterna is unavailable within the Seven Circles. Similarly, this power cannot be invoked in the Void, as it is beyond the boundaries of God's Light. Eschatology Lucerian Eschatology is the theological study and beliefs associated with the End Times. Most of the knowledge and understanding of the End Times comes from the Book of Annihilation in the Lumenicon. The Lumenicon The Lumenicon is holy book of Luceranity, and details the many beliefs, rules, and stories of the Lucerian faith. The Lumenicon is composed of 24 books: Provenance, Malakim, Seraphim, Enoch, Lumination, I Magisters, II Magisters, Melancholia, Isaac, Jubilees, Deeds, Psalter, Elijah, Lazarus, Chorus, Aaron, I Matthias, II Matthias, Joseph, Hosea, Melchior, Archon, Lucius, and Annihilation. Provenance The Book of Provenance is the first book in the Lumenicon, and it details the creation of Asteros by God, the fall from grace of the Body of Eden, and the state of the early universe after cosmogenesis. Provenance ''begins with the Creation Story of the Firmament, describing God's creation of The Sun, the Moons, and lastly Mu. The world is then given a wide range in diverse environments. God then created many species of animal and beast to roam the surface of Mu. As His last act of creation, God forms the body of a man from a mountain, and pulls from his side the form of a woman. The souls of the two are placed into their bodies, and the first two people are made living and of flesh. The two went on to have many children and live amongst the world God had created for them. From them were born many sons and many daughters, which married into pairs and further populated the world with mortal kind. Of the oldest were two brothers -- Cain and Abram. One day Cain had murdered his brother Abram, and God appeared before him, exclaiming "murder be thy name." With that said, God placed a mark upon Cain, and cursed him with eternally walking the face of Mu until the End Times. Malakim The ''Book of Malakim, also known as the Book of Angels, is the second book in the Lumenicon, and it describes the order of the planes that make up Asteros. According to Malakim, the universe of Asteros was originally a single entity known as Eden -- where its body had made up all of Creation. However, shortly after Eden's creation by God, Eden committed the Original Sin, and fell from grace. This fall from grace caused the Body of Eden to gradually fall apart into many fragmented soul shards. With the fall of His creation, God reorganized Asteros to follow a plan of redemption and atonement for the macrocosm. With this plan in mind, God shaped Asteros into the Lemniscatus, and judged that all of Creation shall follow the divine plan of the fall from grace to redemption, and thus the Covenant was established. To begin the gradual process of redemption, the Chamber of Guf was created to store the fragments pieces of the Body of Eden. At the gates of Guf became the Border of Souls, which separated Heaven from the lower echelons of Asteros. There in Heaven existed the angels, which would serve God and His will. Next, the Firmament was created just as described in the Book of Provenance, and Mu was the place where all mortal souls would come into being as flesh and live out flawed, mortal lives to atone for Eden's Original Sin. Adam and Eva were the first two people, as God retrived two souls from the Chamber of Guf and placed them into the bodies he had made for them. After this, souls would enter the womb upon conception after sex. A spirit world known as Purgatory was created as a place for further soul purification once the mortal had died, but were not yet ready to rejoin the macrocosm. Many souls gathered here, and though many eventually moved on to enter Heaven, some remained and consolidated power. These spirits became very powerful, and aimed to influence the Firmament through the manipulation of the energy that traveled throughout the Astral Sea (which was a realm of imaginary space that lay between the Firmament, Purgatory, and the Border of Souls). Eventually, the spirits were able to make themselves known to mortals, and became worshiped by them as gods. At the fall from grace of Eden, something else happened to Asteros that led to a change in the makeup of the cosmological structure. A fracture in Creation, itself, was formed by the Original Sin at the lowest point of existence. This fracture became known as the Wellspring of Sin, and eventually evolved into the Abyss. Horrific, malignant beings were spawned from the Abyss, and the Seven Circles of Hell gradually grew out from the Wellspring. These ancient horrors, known as the Progenitors of Sin, birthed the demons and other fiends. Their children, the Progeny of Sin, forced them back into the Abyss, which had now become nigh infinite in depth, and thus they believed to had been permanently lost in where they first originated. Seraphim The Book of Seraphim is a continuation of the Book of Malakim, shifitng focus onto the properties and roles of angels throughout Creation. This book also describes the properties of the mortal soul, and goes into detail about the nature of demons and devils. Enoch The Book of Enoch is the fourth book, and is written partially by Enoch, himself. It continues from where Provenance left off, and desribes the state of ancient Mu, and the life of Enoch. After his ascension into Guf, the book focuses on his descendants. Lumination The Book of Lumination is the fifth book in the Lumenicon, and establishes many rules and religious doctrine that the Children of God must follow. Lumination also lays out many laws that ancient worshipers of God practiced, and describes the in detail the reason for suffering in life, and why it is necessary to purify the soul. I Magisters The Book of I Magisters is the sixth book in the Lumenicon, and the first of the Era of Magisters. It describes the waning years of the Primeval Age. It features the written records of the Magisters -- the acting priests of the ancient worshipers of God. I Magisters specfically lays out a variety of laws of the times and touches upon a growing darkness that would reveal itself in'' II Magisters'' and Melancholia. II Magisters The Book of II Magisters, similarly to the first book in the Era of Magisters, is an accounting of the times when the Magisters existed, at the latter years of the Primeval Age. The book specifically goes over the gradual fall of morals back then, as depravity and debauchery began to run rampant. Strange, otherworldly beings are also described as invading distant lands. However, the main focus of'' II Magisters'' is on the societal decay of the Kingdom of Acheron. Melancholia The Book of Melancholia is the eighth book in the Lumenicon, and focuses on the end of the Primeval Age and the beginning of the Cimmerian Age. Many of the depraved events described in II Magisters are told from different perspectives in Melancholia, as well as further details that give context and reason for the fall of the mortal world into darkness. The book focuses extensively on the arrival of the otherworldly beings and creatures known collectively as the Shedim (or Eldritch Ones), and a rise in the worship of demons and spirits. Isaac Jubilees Deeds Psalter Elijah Lazarus Chorus Aaron I Matthias II Matthias Joseph Hosea Melchior Archon Lucius Annihilation The Book of Annihilation ''is the twenty-fourth and final book of the ''Lumenicon, and prophesizes the end of Creation, known as the End Times. Annihilation establishes much of Lucerian eschatology, and is essential to the beliefs and doctrines of Luceranity. The book describes the End Times as a point in the future in which the final mortal souls had finally completed their atonement, and were ready for restitution, thus beginning the completion of the Body of Enoch. In that moment, the Army of the Lord would initiate a rapture, and would bring forth all lost or claimed souls throughout Creation that had not yet been inducted into the macrocosm. This would include an invasion into Hell by the angels, where a massive war between celestials and fiends would be waged. The Seraph Michael is described as leading the Army of the Lord through all Seven Circles of Hell, where they would free each and every mortal soul ever claimed by the demons. The War in Hell ends with Michael slaying Adrammelech, and casting him into the Abyss before undoing its fracture, removing the last remnants of the original sin committed by Eden. After this, the Army of the Lord would lead the lost souls to the Body of Enoch, for them to unify with it, and to restore Creation to its original status, rendering all things back into itself. Worship Lucerians perform liturgy by attending communal worship in their community at a church or cathedral on Divano, the first day of the week and the day that symbolizes the original divinity imbued in Creation. Lucerian liturgy is usually characterized by prayer and a sermon by the preacher or priest that leads that specific location. The sermon usually derives parables and lessons from books in the Lumenicon. Some churches may have a more joyous demeanor to its service and sermons, with singing and dancing. Others, usually at cathedrals, are much more solemn and restrained. Sacraments Numerous ceremonies are practices within church with religious and social significance, such as baptism and matrimony. These ceremonies are known as sacraments, and represent rites and rituals Lucerians must undergo to express their faith and manifest their beliefs and the glory of God. Baptism Baptism is the act of immersing one's self into symbolic water as a rite into manifesting the Body of Eden and the foretold Body of Enoch, by reenacting the lemniscatus, when Eden descended beneath the medulla and was foretold to rise as Enoch at the End Times. Baptism is not usually done until a person has reached at least the age of 5, as it is thought by believers that a mortal soul does not fully become bound to the mortal plane until around that age. Baptizing infants is usually not done for that reason, as baptism is seen as a sacrament that anoints the soul for the sake of the flesh. Matrimony Matrimony are wedding ceremonies that are necessary to ordain marriage between a man and a woman. The wedding ceremony usually takes place in a church or cathedral, and consists of the family of the bride and groom sitting in the pews, watching. Near the location of the pulpit is where the groom is already waiting, along with the solemniser (usually the institution's director of worship, such as the preacher). The bride arrives, and the man and woman exchange vows. The solemniser then reads from the Lumenicon, consecrating their marriage and bond. Marriage is ordained by God, himself, and is seen as the closest two people can become without physically conjoining. The concept of marriage creating a "whole" out of the bride and groom is also symbolic of the eventual restitution of all mortal souls, returning into the Body of Enoch and becoming whole. Ordination Ordination is the consecration of individuals to invest in them holy powers from the Four Seraphim to carry out God's will. There are many different positions to be ordained into, and some of them require years of training or preparation prior to ordination. The ordination occurs when the individual is surrounded by the highest members of a church or other Lucerian institution, and the Seraph's Prayer is chanted, invoking the power of either Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, or Uriel. Depending on the objective of that individual's position, one of the Four Seraphim will grant them divine power, but they must adhere to that seraph's creeds without fail or be forsaken and punished. Prayer Outside of liturgy, it is customary for worshipers to pray to God (sometimes directed at one of the Four Seraphim) every night before going to sleep. Prayer also occurs prior to eating dinner, and any moments when someone feels it most appropriate. Somatic prayer is seen as primitive and paganistic by Lucerians, as Lumination, II Magisters, and Chorus describe the mechanisms of prayer as being within the mind and the spirit, and that all effort should be placed in them, not external aspects of the prayer. Subtle positions of prayer, such as clasped hands and a bowed head, are okay and are fairly common. Denominations Luceranity was once broken into numerous denominations that had different doctrines sometime in the early years of the Lucerian Church and the Eternal Empire. However, after the Ecumenist Reformation, the Lucerian faith was united under one set of doctrines that all Lucerians believe. The term, "denomination", then slowly changed in meaning from sects with conflicting doctrine to adherence of a specific part of the Lucerian cosmology. Historical Denominations Historically, the Lucerian Church was fractured into many schools of doctrine. Eventually, however, the Ecumenists -- a Lucerian sect that sought to unite all denominations under one in order to strengthen the faith and the Eternal Empire -- appeared, and slowly grew in number. The Ecumenists eventually were able to bring all leaders of the denominations together, and the Ecumenist Reformation began. The Reformation occurred at the Council of Lumine, where the denominational leaders debated and argued over doctrine for 40 days. After rigorous theological discourse and in-depth exegesis of the ''Lumenicon ''occurred, a unified doctrine was finally completed, and all denominations became one. Seraphic Denominations After the Ecumenist Reformation, Luceranity had only one set of doctrine. The meaning of denomination later came to refer to the subordination of an ordained practitioner to one of the Four Seraphim. The Seraphim -- known as Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, and Uriel -- are the highest angels located the closest to God. They are what filter the immeasurable power of Lux Aeterna into Asteros, and thus the Light of God is split into four orders. Ordained individuals, such as evangelists, are assigned or choose one of the Four Seraphim to follow, and are endowed with divine power so they may carry out that specific seraph's will. Hierarchy The institutionalization of Luceranity is made of a universally observed hierarchy of religious authority, since Luceranity was unified under the Ecumenist Reformation. It is generally accepted that The Divine Emperor of Lumine is the supreme authority of Luceranity within the mortal plane, and that his placement in the ascendancy is a divine act by God. Divine Emperor of Lumine The Divine Emperor of Lumine is the supreme authority of the Lucerian Church. This position is generally accpeted and respected by all practitioners of the Lucerian faith, even ones in different nations. The reason for this is because the religious duties of the Divine Emperor exceed his role as emperor of the Eternal Empire and other worldly affairs. The Divine Emperor is a title that only one individual may hold at a time, and its holder is elected by the Conclave of Cardinals. Upon being elected, the Divine Emperor holds this position for life, unless they have broken the Covenant or the Imperial Versprechen. The Cardinals The Cardinals operate beneath the Divine Emperor and represent different territories of the Eternal Empire and sovereign entities from across the world that follow Luceranity. The Cardinals remain in their own respective countries and act as essentially the highest form of religious authority in their own countries or territories. When summoned to the holy city of Lumine, however, they convene in a secretive assembly known as the Conclave of Cardinals. Archbishops Archbishops are clergy that govern any religious matters within their diocese, called an archdiocese. Archbishops almost always have a series of bishops under their authority. Within the Eternal Empire, the archbishops in charge of dioceses across the states and territories convene similarly to the Cardinals, in an assembly known as the Diocesan College. The Diocesan College's main purpose is to deal with less significant religious issues than what the Conclave focuses on, and to promote Imperial archbishops to Cardinal status when necessary. Bishops Bishops govern their own dioceses, which are religious jurisdictions. Depending on the region that their archbishop covers, a bishop may administrate over a city district, a city, or even a county. Priests Priests are the clergy leaders of a place of worship, generally a cathedral or church. They lead worship and sermons, and act as spiritual guides to those in existential need. They also often act as powerful individuals in the community, promoting the spread of Luceranity through action. Priests are also sometimes called reverands. Pastors Pastors, also commonly known as preachers, are a specific type of priest that are common in the Federal Republic of Amadea. They are usually the religious leaders of a small church and are very common across the Amadean Frontier. Deacons Deacons are any lesser clergymen that operate under higher places of religious authority, such as priests and bishops. They are ordained to perform religious tasks and ceremonies, and often help their superiors with setting up for ceremonies and religious events. However, there are other types of deacons that act separate from places of worship, and instead go out into the world to perform missions of spreading the word of God. Chaplains Chaplains are deacons that are ordained to perform as military clergy for soldiers. They are enlisted by armies and given minimum regiment training, but otherwise serve purely religious purposes. They act as moral anchors for the soldiers, and lead prayer and sermons in military camps, barracks, military academies, and medic tents. When soldiers are mortally wounded, an army's chaplain will pray with them and be at their side until death. Demonologists A high ranking and illustrious form of deacon is the demonologist. Demonologists spend years of their life studying the properties and nature of fiends for the purpose of hunting them down and annihilating them. They are trained to carry out exorcisms against demons, and are privy to esoteric knowledge not known to the laity. Many demonologists are powerful holders of divine power shined unto them by the Light of God, and thus serve higher authorities in the Church, such as the Diocesan College. Evangelists Evangelists are a specialized type of deacon focused on spreading the will of God and converting non-believers, pagans, and heretics. Evangelists, upon their ordination, are blessed with divine power by one of the Four Seraphim, and must adhere to that specific seraph's creeds to carry out the will of God. Nuns Nuns are exclusively female deacons that generally run religious or religiously influenced institutions that are not focused on worship, such as orphanages, schools, monasteries and temples, homeless shelters, and hospitals. They also sometimes serve under bishops as an authority in their respective diocese. The main obligations a nun undertake are to remain pure, help and care for anyone that is deserving, and to ensure the will of God is spread above all else. For this reasons, it is very common for nuns to take mission trips across the world, sometimes as trained evangelists, to further the Lucerian religion. Sainthood Saints are revered members of the Lucerian Church that are posthumously celebrated and canonized. The criteria for sainthood is that the Lucerian in question died as a martyr, resulting in a profound impact sometime after death -- or that they performed a miracle that resulted in the spreading of Luceranity or otherwise helped the faith. Category:Lore Category:Religion